


Only Time

by justbygrace



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-11
Updated: 2017-02-11
Packaged: 2018-09-23 14:57:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9662285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justbygrace/pseuds/justbygrace
Summary: First Sentence Prompt Fic





	

"Oi! I'll have you know I LIKE Terry Pratchett!" Rose Tyler shifted a bit so that she could level a glare at the Time Lord.

"I'm not saying that I don't like him in particular." The Doctor paused, regarding the starry sky above them for a moment. "It's more the entire fantasy genre that I don't like."

"You don't like fantasy?" Rose snorted. "Tell me another one."

He chuckled. "Fantasy is not all it's cracked up to be. Granted, my - our - lives tend to be a bit fanciful, but that doesn't mean the genre appeals to me."

"Yeah, okay, I'll remind you of that next time we run into gaseous aliens." Rose shook her head at him. "And I mean that in both meanings of the word."

He smiled at her, the darkness hiding the fondness in his eyes for his young companion. He was momentarily surprised when she shifted nearer to him, their shoulders pressing together, and then dismissed it, probably there was a rock necessitating her movement.

"Seriously, though, are there enough worlds out there that every fantasy and sci-fi story ever written are a reality?" she asked, her voice thoughtful. 

"Well, I haven't been to every world..." he began.

"What?" Her hair tickled his cheek when she shook her head. "Are you admitting that there are things you don't know?"

"One or two," he teased. "But like I was saying, I haven't been to every world, but I know enough about what's out there to know that even if there isn't a planet like that in our world, there would be one in a parallel universe."

"Parallel universes? So that's really a thing?" She shifted again, their bodies closer than ever, and he had to take several deep breaths which he instantly regretted because it filled his nostrils with her essence.

"Of course. Earth writers don't get it wrong every time. Every choice made here has a ripple affect through time and space, you know," he told her.

"So there is a parallel universe where my dad is alive? And one where I never traveled with you? And..."

He cut her off before she could suggest they go searching for such a horrific place. "Yes, all that is true. But travel to them is nigh impossible. It didn't used to be, of course."

He felt her fingers search out his, twining their fingers together before speaking in a quieter tone. "Are there...are there Doctors in other universes?"

"Nah, I'd feel it, in here." He raised their joined hands to tap his temple.

"I'm sorry, Doctor," she whispered and he was certain he imagined the brush of her lips against his leather-clad shoulder. 

He shrugged, still unsure how to deal with her comfort. She offered it so freely, but he was unused to receiving it and still preferred to run, afraid that eventually she would realize that he was old and damaged and she deserved so, so much more than him. She deserved someone who could give her the forever that he was incapable of doing.

"So, parallel universes!" The only thing that gave evidence that she was not as happy as her words implied was her tight grip on his hand. "Not all they're cracked up to be then?"

"Gingerbread houses is what they are. Look pretty on the outside but are potentially dangerous and not fit to live in," he explained. "I've always avoided them."

"Sounds like a good plan," she agreed. "It seems like it could be interesting, but if there is no travel back and forth, well, I wouldn't want to get stuck there."

"No, definitely not." He couldn't think of anything else to say and apparently neither could she.

At length she turned a bit, saying something about being cold, and snuggling into his side. He could hear her breathing, harsher than normal, but he couldn't detect any radical temperature change in her skin. Opening his mouth, he started to question her when he thought better of it, moving one arm so that he was holding her - albeit very lightly - to his chest. 

The silence stretched on, but it was a comfortable one. He was surprised to discover that happiness was starting to make itself known around the edges of his subconscious, contentment filling his mind as he listened to her heartbeat. Her breathing changed, slowing down and evening out, and he knew she was well on her way to sleep. 

"Rose? Did you want to go back to the TARDIS?" he felt compelled to ask. The hard ground and his shoulder couldn't be comfortable.

"Huh-uh," she murmured, her voice resonating through his chest. "M'good here. Two heartbeats...soothing." Her voice trailed off.

He smiled into the darkness, both the natural dark and the emptiness of his mind, his arm tightening around the beautiful creature in his arms. He was good here too.


End file.
